Data from: Varying flower longevity as a strategy to pollen limitation: Implications for plant reproductive resilience under climate warming
Data files
Jun 23, 2026 version files 828.03 KB
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Data_Corydalis.xlsx
826.65 KB
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README.md
1.38 KB
Abstract
Phenological shifts induced by climate warming may occur with similar sensitivities in both plants and pollinators, potentially maintaining or even improving their temporal match. In contrast, if their sensitivities differ, climate warming may either facilitate novel plant–pollinator interactions or disrupt existing interactions through reduced pollinator availability, potentially increasing the time a flower needs to get pollinated. Although plasticity in flower longevity may buffer these effects by extending the time window for pollination, prolonged flowering may also be associated with reduced reproductive success. Here, we experimentally tested whether plastic flower longevity in a self-incompatible bee-pollinated Corydalis ambigua mitigates the effects of warming and delayed pollination on plant reproduction. Using dome-shaped warming chambers and controlled pollination treatments (immediate, five-day delayed, and no pollination), we quantified changes in flower longevity and seed production. Pollination induced rapid flower wilting, with successful pollination reducing flower longevity and pollination exclusion extending it substantially. Experimental warming further reduced flower longevity by 8% compared with the ambient control. In contrast, seed production declined by 22% under delayed pollination but was not affected by warming. These results reveal that plasticity in flower longevity allows plants to partially compensate for delayed pollination by extending the window for pollen receipt. However, delayed pollination was also associated with reduced subsequent seed development, suggesting additional costs. Our findings highlight a previously underappreciated reproductive cost of pollination delay and suggest that plasticity in flower longevity may enhance plant resilience to declining pollinator availability under climate warming, albeit with potential reductions in seed production.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.wm37pvn3g
Description of the data and file structure
File name: Data_Corydalis.xlsx
This file is a dataset of a paper entitled "Varying flower longevity as a strategy to pollen limitation: implications for plant reproductive resilience under climate warming". This study examined the ecological significance of prolonged flower longevity in Corydalis ambigua.
"Data_Corydalis" involves four tabs (with their legends). These tabs provide the basic information on flowering data, seed production, and pollinator abundance. All these investigations were conducted in 2024.
Description: This file is a dataset of a paper entitled "Varying flower longevity as a strategy to pollen limitation: implications for plant reproductive resilience under climate warming". This study examined the ecological significance of prolonged flower longevity in Corydalis ambigua. "Data_Corydalis" involves four tabs (with their legends). These tabs provide the basic information on flowering data, seed production, and pollinator abundance. All these investigations were conducted in 2024.
Variables
- flowering data
- seed production
- pollinator abundance
